1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is broadly concerned with a mobile tower which can be used as a hunter""s stand or for other purposes where a temporary elevated platform is desired. More particularly, the invention pertains to such a mobile tower which includes a mobile carriage supporting a platform assembly; the platform assembly may be selectively moved from a generally horizontal towing position to an upright use position at the discretion of the user.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Deer and other big-game hunters often make use of stands which permit a hunter to position himself at an elevated location close to a source of water or other locale frequented by game. A variety of stands have been proposed in the past for this purpose. Some of these prior designs have been small and designed for temporary attachment to trees. While these stands serve a useful purpose, they do not protect a hunter from the weather, and moreover can only be mounted at relatively low heights.
Hunters have also built permanent towers at desirable hunting sites which overcome many of the problems of tree-attached stands. However, such permanent units are only feasible in limited situations where a permanent construction is permitted and appropriate.
There is accordingly a need in the art for a relatively large mobile tower usable as a hunter""s stand and which can be easily towed to a desired location for erection. Obviously, such a tower must be designed so that it can be readily erected and lowered, without the need for specialized equipment or excess manpower.
The present overcomes the problems outlined above, and provides an improved mobile tower including a mobile carriage adapted to be towed by a pulling vehicle with a platform assembly operatively secured to the carriage. The platform assembly is selectively movable between a generally horizontal towing position and a generally upright use position, and preferably includes a flat base as well as an uppermost housing.
In more detail, the mobile tower of the invention is equipped with a carriage permanently secured to the platform assembly so that the carriage is raised and lowered along with the platform. In order to permit ready erection and lowering of the platform assembly, an elongated pull tongue is pivotally coupled to the carriage or assembly and is adapted for attachment to a towing vehicle, and a latch arrangement serves to releasably secure the upper end of the platform assembly to the tongue. In addition, one or more earth-penetrating elements are secured to the platform assembly adjacent the base thereof.
In use, the tower is towed to a desired location, delatched from the pull tongue and initially pivoted upwardly until the earth-penetrating elements contact the ground. The pulling vehicle is then slowly reversed, causing the tower to pivot upwardly and ultimately assume its full upright position with the base thereof fully contacting the earth. The user may then ascend the platform assembly using a ladder, and enter the uppermost housing of the platform assembly.